The Unlucky Ones
by waybackwhen
Summary: Asami Sasaki had never desired to become a ninja, but after the death of her parents during the Nine Tails attack, her brother became obsessed with making her stronger. In a time of post-war chaos, the young child was rushed through the academy and thrust into a team that consisted of two members of the family her brother had always warned her to stay away from: Itachi and Shisui.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto's characters, I just borrow them and try to bring them back in once piece. Asami is all mine, though but I am willing to share her.

Perfectly painted navy blue nails tore desperately at the hand wrapped around her throat, lifting Asami off the ground as if she weighed nothing at all, though in spite of her current situation, something in her kept her from truly fighting for freedom. After all, the deep crimson eyes that looked straight through to her soul were those of her best friend. If she had to choose between defending herself and letting herself be killed, she would die.

Pale fingers tightened themselves around her neck, eliciting a sort of strangled groan from the younger as strands of long black hair slipped forward into her face, obstructing the image of the man she loved, the one currently attempting to end her life. A cruel smirk that she'd never really seen wind itself around her best friend's lips appeared, sending a cold chill like icy tendrils down her spine and she could feel herself quickly losing faith in her previously firm belief that Uchiha Itachi would never really hurt her.

"And here I thought fighting you would actually be a challenge, but then again, you always have been rather… worthless, isn't that right, Asami?"

"Asami?"

A gentle hand shook the teen's smaller shoulder once, then again, another murmur of her name escaping Shisui's lips before he flinched as the little raven lurched forward with an unintelligible shout, shaking hands reaching for her throat as if expecting to find something there trying to hurt her. Instant worry leapt into onyx orbs as he took in those actions, knowing the woman must have been having some kind of nightmare.

It was worrisome, really - this wasn't the first time. Reaching forwards and cupping her small face within his hands to try and draw those wide ruby eyes of hers to his own, he tried to ground his friend within reality once more. "Hey now, deep breaths. You're safe, I've got you." He said with deliberate urgency between his efforts to calm her down, "As long as Itachi and I are around, nothing is ever going to happen to you."

Silence. Helpless little droplets of water leaked from her eyes for a few precious seconds before still quivering hands latched themselves onto his arms. "Sh- Shisui… It was just a dream. Oh thank god, it was just a dream."

Shisui knew Asami well, considering they'd been working side by side since the young teen was too young to ever have been considered suitable for their line of duty. He knew that she was an affectionate ball of mush, and when this upset, she preferred comfort in the form of physical contact. That wasn't a tactic he particularly excelled at, easily explained if one were to take a look at his lineage, but in their years together, both he and Itachi had picked up on little things they could do to help pick Asami up when she fell like this. He tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, thumb of his unoccupied hand rubbing away the offending tears from her soft cheeks as she recovered her breath. Likewise, Asami had picked up on a few, less cuddly ways to try and cheer her teammates up, oftentimes discovering that simply remaining a silent support in times of trouble was more than enough.

Slowly, the delicate, trembling hands began to steady themselves once more, complete recovery evident when at last a warm smile crossed the younger's pale lips. She got away with hiding so much behind that smile. Even at the fresh, young age of thirteen, Asami was more than content with the rest of the world believing that she never frowned. When she would crack, though, she would never break. The young warrior was similar to a weathered porcelain doll, spider-like cracks crawling along her skin. Shisui, for one, admired her resilience, and he knew his cousin did as well. He had to admit at times he wondered if her uncanny ability to smile in spite of nearly any circumstance should trouble him more than it tended to.

Ruby orbs flickered over Shiusi's shoulder, noticing the entrance of the two Uchiha brothers. "He couldn't say no to Sasuke, could he?" She guessed easily, noticing how absolutely thrilled the smaller raven seemed to be that he was tagging along to train with the three ANBU operatives.

An amused smirk tugged at the oldest member of their team's lips, the sight so natural gracing the pale features, giving her all the answer she really needed. "He really is a big old softie."

"Especially with Sasuke." She agreed easily, taking the hand held out to help her up like the gentleman Shisui always tried to convince his cousin he was.

"He's got quite the soft spot for you, too, ya know." Shisui countered, the amusement in his gaze only growing at the instant rush of red brought to the thirteen year old's cheeks with the remark, even when it earned him a swift punch in the arm. "Ouch, hey, why hit me for telling the truth?" No one was more amusing to tease than Asami, really.

"J- just shut it already!" Her voice was almost a whine as she aimed a glare at him, all intensity lost with the red flush to her cheeks. With a lighthearted chuckle, he placed a hand to her shoulder to lead her along over toward the other two. His smile to falter ever so slightly as he felt her freeze. Charcoal eyes turned to take her in, but it was obvious that her eyes were fixed on Itachi.

"You're worried about him." It wasn't a question. Asami was as transparent as a hole in the wall. A mute nod confirmed his suspicions without much of a fight.

"He's been acting strange."

Yes, strange indeed. But it was best if Asami didn't know of the internal wars going on. With her close ties to both the young heir as well as the village via her position in the ANBU, a good number of people were waiting for her to take sides in a battle she remained completely ignorant of.

A gentle squeeze brought her attention back to him once more, a reassuring smile in place on his lips that he hoped helped ease her worry a little. He knew this wasn't the first time Itachi's behavior had troubled the young Sasaki. "You've got nothing to worry about. This is Itachi we're talking about here, he'll be just fine. He's just trying to balance his duties within the clan with those of an ANBU captain now. Once everything is more settled, he'll be back to his old self again, I guarantee it."

Something about the grin he gave her seemed to lay Asami's fears to rest, a soft smile gracing her lips once more. "You're right, I'm just being paranoid." She relented, scratching the back of her head a little with a sheepish chuckle, finally allowing herself to be lead over to the other two Uchiha.

"Asami!" Sasuke's eyes light up at the sight of the young woman approaching, causing Itachi to look up at her smiling face as well. His little brother had stopped mid-sentence to rush over to the woman's side. Coming from a family known for being emotionally inept- though not always the case, such was the Uchiha stereotype- Sasuke tended to get excited when he saw her since she was always so affectionate with him, something he didn't find many other places at home. He acted like he hated it when she smothered him, but she believed that he could get away from her if he truly wanted to.

"Sasuke, I haven't seen you in so long!" Asami swiftly gathered the boy into her arms as she bent down to his level, no initial acknowledgement for the third member of their former genin team until she'd successfully convinced the child she'd given him cooties. She rose back to her feet, ruffling Sasuke's hair with one hand as ruby eyes turned themselves to his big brother. "You're such a pushover." Was her greeting to him before she released the poor chibi, the younger's hair somehow no messier looking than it had been originally.

Itachi simply gave her a good-natured shrug in reply, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips that he would only ever truly wear around the three present in that training field. "What can I say? He was missing you."

"Was not!" Sasuke's objection was quick, without hesitation, but it was already too late, and he was being smooshed in another hug.

"Aww, Sasuke, I missed you too!" Asami cooed happily, her nightmare seeming all but forgotten, though that didn't keep Shisui from wondering just what it was that had the younger so spooked all the time.

From what he knew of the smiley young shinobi, Asami was perfectly happy with her home life. Though her parents had been killed back when she was a child in the Nine Tails attack, she still had her big brother, who she claimed any chance she found someone willing to listen was one of the most incredible people she knew. She wasn't present when the two brave ninja had met their end, so it couldn't be some kind of trauma from that. For a shinobi, she tended to be rather skittish outside of missions, holding a healthy amount of fear for just about anything rational enough to be afraid of- heights, the dark, blood, and especially being alone. None of that showed out on missions, though, and even he could admit that fact impressed him. There had been no shortage of people skeptical about letting someone so sweet and innocent be part of the ANBU, but she seemed to be coping with all of that rather well, too.

So what was it that had Asami so frightened all the time?

It hadn't escaped his notice the excessive amount of times he'd discovered the youngest member of their makeshift team napping under a tree somewhere. She was exhausted otherwise- was she afraid to sleep at home for some reason? Though Asami seemed a little too old to be afraid of monsters under her bed anymore. She knew as well as they all did that those creatures dwelled within the ranks of the foes they faced. Maybe he was just reading too far into the situation, but come to think of it, neither he nor Itachi had ever met this brother she spoke of like the sun and moon rose with him.

This was hardly the time of place to call the petite teen out on his suspicions, though. They were, after all, just allegations that could very well be way off mark. He didn't want to worry Itachi if he was simply being paranoid. Though he hid it better than an open book like Asami was, it didn't take a genius to recognize that Itachi worried about Asami just as much as the younger did over him- though the same could be said about himself as well.

He didn't have a lot of things in that world to protect, but the three bickering before him were definitely high up on the list of people he would make sure nothing bad ever happened to. None of them deserved any kind of heartache- the world was full of enough of that already.


	2. Chapter 2

There were lots of things Taisuke had told his little sister that didn't exactly make sense to her though it was always in her nature to follow his commands blindly. One thing the older was very strict about that seemed rather odd to Asami was his decree that she was never to interact with the Uchiha family so long as she lived under his roof. Though she and Itachi had only been in school at the same time for about a year, she honored her brother's wishes and avoided him like the plague.

"Aniki is going to be so mad." The petite eight-year-old moaned as she looked down at the piece of paper grasped within her hands, clearly displaying the names of her two new teammates as well as their sensei. Most of the other children from her class had been paired with each other, and not to say she would have preferred to be with any of them, per say, but there was a chance she'd be less nervous like that than on a team of complete strangers.

She hadn't just been partnered with one Uchiha, but two.

Why her of all people? The four man squad had recently been cut down to three due to a recent tragic accident that had taken the life of one of the former members of their squad, conveniently enough around graduation so that they could easily place someone from the graduating class as a substitute. Itachi Uchiha had graduated a year earlier than herself, apparently he'd been admitted when he was five whereas she'd joined at six, so that meant he was about her age.

Then there was Shisui, who had an extra three years of life on either of them. He'd been given solo missions fresh out of the academy, but now that things were beginning to get less dire, they'd decided to place him within a genin squad with his younger cousin since the two were nearly attached at the hip.

And this was the kind of atmosphere she was walking into. How on earth was she ever going to find a place on a team that was already so well off without her? Not to mention how upset it's going to make her brother. There were any number of reasons she'd never wanted to be a shinobi, but this had never even crossed her mind as a possible reason for her to dread graduation. Was it too late for her to flunk out?

"I wish mama was here. She'd know what to do." Her mumbling to herself earned her a few glances though no one bothered commenting as she passed by.

Why was her brother so against her making friends with the Uchiha? From what she'd gathered, there were numerous people whose parents told them to get as close as possible to the prodigal clan. Not to mention the fact that her parents had always told her that she should trust the police if they weren't around for her, and since most of the Uchiha were part of the police force, shouldn't it make sense that she should be kind to them?

No matter which way she looked at the situation, it just kept coming back to one thing: This was a really bad idea.

That thought continued to plague the shy young child as she made her way slowly to the practice field where she'd been told she would be meeting her new team.

They probably wouldn't like her. The two already had amazing teamwork, she was going to throw off the whole dynamic.

 _You're just going to hold them both back_.

It was true, she wasn't good for much. Why had this team's sensei personally requested that she join their team? Just to make the other two feel much better about themselves?

She'd actually been pretty excited to join a new team when she'd been told the news, but- as always- her brother's words had shaken up her confidence about it pretty badly. Why did it seem like he made it his goal to make her feel as small and insignificant as possible? He hadn't always been like that, and the young girl would even go as far as to say that he had meant well in the beginning. He wanted to make her stronger so that he wouldn't lose her like they'd both lost their parents- she had a theory that he forgot they had both lost their parents that night. Along the way, his intentions became more twisted, and the rare glimpses of the loving man he'd once been began to become rarer and farther between.

 _They'll probably hate you just as much as I do._

And they would be well within their right to do so. She was going to ruin everything for them.

Her footsteps carried her through the fence to the training field at long last, Asami toying with the ends of her hair nervously as she approached the only three there that day, assuming that must be her new team. She vaguely recognized the sensei in charge of it, the man must have been a friend of her parents. That explained why he had requested her.

 _They probably just feel bad for you_.

Probably... probably.

In spite of how badly shaken her confidence and self-worth were, she hid it all behind a warm smile as she drew closer, taking in the two young men who would be her new team- for the time being at least, until they decided that they didn't want her anymore.

"Good morning. My name is Asami Sasaki, it's a pleasure to meet you all. It appears that we'll be working together for a little while." She had nothing to lose. These new teammates could only make her stronger if she let them.

Their fearless jonin leader was the first to step forward, an experienced former member of the ANUB who went by the name Zenn. A strong hand was placed on her shoulder, dark brown eyes peering down into her own crimson that so much resembled her mother's. This was Kiramiki's daughter alright. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Asami." He gave the small girl a relaxed grin, accompanying it with a squeeze to her shoulder. "I used to be on a team with your mother, you know. You look just like her."

At the mention of the woman, Asami's eyes flickered swiftly away, a minuscule falter to her grin that didn't go unnoticed by the two Uchiha, but just like that, the brief flash of grief had vanished, locked away and hidden behind a warm smile. "If I'm even half the shinobi her and papa were, I should be in pretty good shape, huh? Aniki says that mama was the best medic in the entire world." Clear pride shone within the eyes for the woman who lost her life on the battlefield. Asami was incredibly proud of the accomplishments of those around her, such a trait was endearing to say the least.

Her eyes sparkled with an innocence that Shisui could honestly admit left him unsettled- she was the same age as Itachi after all, and his case was a rare one already. What was the village thinking? She was practically still a baby. Even so, all they could do now was build her up and hope nothing tore her viciously down.

He took a step closer, friendly grin settling itself across his features as he offered his hand to the petit kunoichi. "Hey, welcome to the team. My name is Shisui Uchiha." He wrapped his fingers around equally pale counterparts she hesitantly offered to him before he not so subtly nudged his younger cousin in a reminder to mind his manners.

Worrisome- he didn't think it was possible for Itachi to be more of a recluse than he had been before, but it seemed their former teammate's untimely death had taken its toll. Loss and sacrifice were two things he'd grown accustomed to considering the few years he had over Itachi though they were concepts still completely new to his cousin in spite of his prodigal status.

If only he could have done something to save the boy- Toshiro had gotten careless, really. What a self-sacrificing fool. He wasn't much for dragging things out longer than they needed to be, but there was a chance he'd make an exception were he to encounter those Iwa shinobi again. Gloved fingers tightened a miniscule fraction at his sides before he relaxed them once again, pushing that train of thought out of his mind. Whimpering about his absence would be a waste of the sacrifice their comrade had made.

The object of Shisui's worry gave the elder cousin a small narrowing of charcoal eyes at the nudge before he too took a step closer to the slightly younger female. He graced her with a curt nod, childish features a calm far beyond his years though it didn't seem to put Asami off at all. "My name is Itachi Uchiha, it's nice to meet you."

"We're really looking forward to working with you, aren't we Itachi?" Shisui cast his cousin an amused grin at that glare he was graced with in all of its childishness. The smaller Uchiha nodded with a grunt of agreement.

It would seem, at the very least, their newest member wasn't as much of a stranger to loss as Itachi had once been not long ago. It was easy to deduce that she'd lost her parents- she'd referred to them using past tense verbs earlier, and that almost unnoticeable spark of sorrow within her otherwise bright eyes told him all he needed to know. It had to have been during the Nine Tails attack, if it had been during the war, she'd likely have been too young to remember them enough to miss them.

Their new teammate seemed to be an open book, he wondered if Itachi saw it, too. Dark eyes flickered over to the younger Uchiha at his side, scanning the small, serious face that was focused on Asami, still taking her in. Maybe a new addition to the team would be good for all of them, though to be completely honest, all he was really concerned about was Itachi.

"How about we all head out to grab some lunch and get to know each other a little better?" Zenn suggested. He had a feeling these three would become good friends. And though he too was concerned with Asami's age, with the proper guidance, he believed all of them could only excel farther from here. That was where he came in, naturally, as their sensei. "On me, of course. Your brother wouldn't mind, right Asami?" He glanced down at the smaller girl who was nearly half his size, earning an excited shake of her head. Kiramiki would be proud to know her little lion's hair hadn't gotten any neater than the loyal medic's untimely death.

First on his list of things to do: Keep working with Itachi. He was slightly concerned the Uchiha would be too timid about making friends with Asami from fear of potentially losing her one day. Then there was Asami's troublesome habit of hiding behind that smile of hers. Where on earth had she learned to do that so young? And Shisui's total preoccupation with his younger cousin along with his tendency to see his younger counterparts as somewhat beneath him- not in a condescending way by any means, he was the more experienced of the three. Yes, this team needed a bit of fine tuning.

They were all going to become wonderful shinobi in their own right, but they would only excel in this world when they learned to rely on each other. That's what he believed. To be able to look at oneself honestly and acknowledge what's truly there was simply part of the battle, the other was finding comrades who understood and made up for the shortcomings all ninja possess.

That day was one of the rare, partly sunny days during Konoha's rainy season, the clouds that drifted by overhead merely white and fluffy tufts that served to lessen the intensity of the sun rather than drench them in rain. Itachi didn't say much, but luckily for him, Shisui and Asami did enough talking for him as well.

"You mentioned that you've got a brother, right?" The two chatterboxes walked along side each other, Zenn to Asami's right whereas Itachi shadowed Shisui to the left.

The lack of hesitation with which she answered any question he had to offer her simply strengthened his earlier observation that this girl didn't have much to hide. "I do, yeah. His name is Taisuke and he's the best big brother in the entire world. He's in the ANBU, how cool is that? So he's always crazy busy with missions and everything, but he still finds time to train with me."

It was amusing, almost, how the two simple words 'big brother' caused a hint of a smile to tug at Itachi's lips, an action which hardly went unnoticed by Shisui. "Itachi is a big brother, too, isn't that right, Itachi?" The older Uchiha smoothly shifted places with his cousin so that the younger was forced to be in the middle of the conversation, earning him a peeved glare he outwardly ignored.

Once the glare had faded from his gaze, charcoal eyes turned themselves to meet expectant crimson, her grin causing that small hint of a smile to make its way back to his lips without his knowledge. "My little brother's name is Sasuke, he just turned three not long ago." He answered the obvious question within their new teammate's eyes.

"Three? He's so young. Can I meet him one day?" It seemed as if Sasuke had just found himself a new playmate.

"You could probably even help us babysit him when Mikoto Oba and Fugaku Sama are away," Shisui remarked, grinning a little at the way their new teammate jumped happily from foot to foot, clinging to Itachi's arm in her excitement as if he had made the declaration.

"That would be so amazing! I've always wanted a little sibling to play with and protect and cuddle!" This girl was a lively one, that's for sure, and it looked like poor Itachi had no idea how to react to the smaller child clinging to his arms and jumping up and down like she'd just won the lottery. Owlish eyes looked to him as if pleading for help, but all he could do was laugh.

Human interaction was never a strong suit of Itachi's, especially when it came to making friends, but this girl was so different from the normally calm and stoic members of the Uchiha clan that he would even go as far as to say that their new teammate had Itachi a little freaked out, a fact which he could hardly keep from finding amusing. Surely they'd get used to each other soon enough, right?

Maybe it was cruel to single Asami out, but since she was the newbie on the team, she had to be initiated. Their sensei had a special little test Itachi and Shiusi had both suffered through when they'd first been appointed to train under Zenn, and each- mostly Shisui- had agreed that Asami should be put through the same thing they had.

In the way that the bell test was designed to promote teamwork, this one challenged a shinobi's resourcefulness. Asami was hardly prepared for a mission, had been told not to bother bringing any of her weapons since they weren't going on any missions. Toward the end of their meal, crimson orbs widened as a sharp cry for help rang out from just outside the curtain shielding their tables from the outside world. Slight panic sparked within the wide orbs though even in spite of that, she rose quickly from their table. "We've gotta help." After a swift glance at the contents of the table, she snatched up a pair of chopsticks before bolting for the exit with her new team hot on her heels. Naturally, the boys had been advised to let her take the lead for as much as she could handle on her own.

Upon bursting out into the cool evening air, the young shinobi would find a young woman on the ground, the civilian looking up at them desperately as she pointed down the road. "Please help, he took my baby!" She'd hardly even finished the sentence before the little raven took off after the culprit, squinting her eyes against the setting sun, catching sight of a man with a bundle in his arms running away from her.

"She's fast," Itachi remarked to his cousin in faint hints of appreciation as they followed after the youngest member of their team.

"She is. Someone so small doesn't have much physical prowess, but it's hard to match her speed." Zenn supplied the other two with a bit of insight into how their newest member operated. They all watched as the petite shinobi jumped up onto a roof, jumping straight over the man who had kidnaped the child. The wind carelessly tousled dark locks of hair as the agile child glided smoothly, planting the chopsticks in the ground in front of the man at the height of her arch over his head. As he skidded to a stop, the dainty shinobi landed on her knees before him, straightening up without much more hesitation. At the moment, it didn't strike her all that odd that her teammates weren't helping out, it escaped her notice in the heat of battle.

"Give that child back, it doesn't belong to you!" She commanded, though even as serious as she tried to look, there was still an obvious innocence about her person as she stood a whole four feet before the culprit.

The man let out a low growl at the annoying pest standing in his way. "Get lost, brat!" He barked, whipping out a couple of kunai to launch them at the small ninja before him. She didn't have any weapons to defend herself with, she knew she couldn't let these ones simply whiz right by. She whirled around to avoid the attacks, the action a little bit careless though she managed to snag one of the two, the second slicing across her shoulder though she hardly paid it much mind.

"Her moves are a little careless, but not bad. They'll get better with a little work." Shisui mused before blinking a little as his cousin pushed him a couple of inches to the right, realizing why a second later as a kunai soared through the space between them. He narrowed his gaze slightly as sheepish crimson orbs looking back at him.

"Heh, sorry!" She called. It hadn't been intentional to almost poke out one of her new friend's eyes, the man had simply dodged her attempts at an attack, that's all. She was obviously blameless, Asami concluded with a nod.

Features became schooled once more as the man took a run at her, realizing to her dismay that she'd be forced to resort to hand-to-hand, which was far from her strong suit. He only had one hand at his disposal, though, how badly could this end? Her small fist made contact with his chest, the man not even bothering to block since it hardly hurt. And now she was within his range. The baby, her mind supplied, pale hands reaching out to try and grab hold of the bundle, though navy blue nails slipped away from the blanket before she could get a solid grip, a whimper slipping past her lips as she hit the ground on her tailbone.

Itachi was the first one to take a step closer before a strong hand placed itself on his shoulder, onyx orbs turning to matching dark hues in question as to why Shisui was stopping him from helping. "Not just yet. I don't think she's finished just yet." He nodded in her direction, drawing Itachi's attention back over there. The dark orbs typical of all those of the Uchiha clan narrowed slightly to try and make out the objects she had clenched in her fists.

"You think she planned it like that or she just happened to land near it?" The older Uchiha's question was probably rhetorical as he managed to make out the outline of the second kunai that had previously cut her shoulder wrapped in one of her hands, a bunch of small stones resting in the other. It was hard to make out with the setting sun silhouetting her form.

Small shoulders rose and fell a little with soft pants as Asami took a moment to recollect herself. Before she could put the plan that had been running within her mind into action, vermilion orbs shot open wide as she suddenly felt the presence of two more imposing chakras appearing just behind her, an unfamiliar voice clearly not speaking to her as he demanded, "Is this little lady giving you trouble, Horio?"

"Three on one isn't very fair." Her bottom lip stuck out in a hint of a pout as she turned so that either of her shoulders were to the separate groups so that neither was behind her.

"Let's see how she handles being outnumbered." Zenn crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his old teammate's daughter swiftly assess the situation, concealing the few sorry excuses for weapons that she had on hand before swiftly biting her thumb, nimble fingers moving in fluid movements before her palm touched the ground, a dark brown eagle appearing in a puff of smoke. "Osamu?" The former ANBU blinked slightly at the appearance of the bird before an amused grin crossed his lips. He really should have known.

"A summon? Isn't she a little young to have a contract?" Shisui turned slightly confused eyes to their sensei since it seemed as if the man knew exactly what was going on.

"That's Osamu. He was her father's summon. Tomatsu must have asked him to watch after Asami when he passed away." The sensei could recall that Osamu had been someone irreplaceable in any recon missions they had to throw at the former shinobi. If Asami learned the same jutsu her father had known, the two would make an amazing team. He was curious just how much her experience with Osamu would differ from that of a shinobi and their summon who encountered each other later in life. She technically didn't have a contract, just a partner for life- a protector.

"We need to get that baby back, Osamu, that's our top priority," Asami explained to the eagle who hovered by her side. "I don't have any of my tools, I need you to have my back."

"Of course, my lady." Her partner nodded his head, beady eyes taking in their three foes before looking back at his mistress. "Be careful, my lady. I promised your father-"

"I know, I know, you promised papa you'd look after me. No time for a lecture right now. Get us some cover please, we're going with attack pattern number eleven." With her brother away on missions as often as any ANBU was, that left Asami with lots of time to work on some teamwork with her summon. They had a total of fifteen attack plans they'd both memorized as well as a few defense and escape tactics, but that certainly wasn't the time to turn tail and run just because things were getting tough.

"Yes, my lady!" Osamu instantly grew serious, flying a little higher off the ground before flapping his wings, a strong gust of wind that stirred the dust around them up into the air, creating an impromptu smokescreen with which to hide themselves in. The three onlookers threw up their hands to cover their eyes from the mini dust storm, squinting against the wind to see what was going on.

Osamu had completely vanished when the dust settled down enough for them to see shadowy figures darting about within the translucent cloud, it not too hard to tell which one was Asami's- the smallest one, of course. By the time they could see well enough to make out what was going on, it looked like their newest member was taking quite the beating.

"Now that's enough." A spark of rage flickered within Itachi's eyes as the smaller girl cried out before her form crumpled against the ground. Once again, his cousin's hand caught him, keeping the heir from stepping in just yet.

Shisui's gaze flickered to their sensei once more. "She uses earth style, right?" He had a hunch, and if he was right, they didn't need to step in just yet. The man gave a silent nod in reply as the dust finally began to clear from the air again, it clear that the man was proud the older Uchiha had pieced it together. With that remark, understanding finally flickered within Itachi's eyes as well.

"This is what you get for trying to interfere, brat." The man holding the child who had been identified earlier as Horio sneered, smirking down at the girl at his feet, nudging her form with his foot.

Crimson eyes glared up at the man before an amused smirk tugged at the seemingly defeated kunoichi's lips before a puff of smoke appeared, revealing the dark brown eagle instead of the raven haired girl. "Don't underestimate my mistress," Osamu commanded before diving at the other two.

"Wh- what?!" Horio stammered before his eyes narrowed at the creature. "Where the hell did that little brat go?" He didn't have to suffer through searching for very long before the missing genin shot up from her shelter in the ground, slamming a powerful uppercut into the man's jaw, the attack enough to shatter a few teeth. The thief lost his grip on the child with her assault, Asami barely managing to recover in time to drop to her knees and stop the bundle from hitting the ground.

She was panting quietly, clearly reaching her limit in spite of the large grin that crossed her lips. "Ha! Jokes on you, this little brat just stole back the baby you stole!" She declared, sticking her tongue out at the man, her teammates watching this action with comical sweat drops hovering over their heads.

It struck the young kunoichi as a little strange that the child wasn't crying, turning crimson eyes to the little bundle to congratulate him or her on being so brave only for her eyes to widen at the sight of bright red numbers- :08, :07,- on a machine instead of a baby. "What the-" she swiftly placed the thing she believed to be a bomb on the ground, shifting to her knees as she wove swift, practiced hand signs. She didn't have much chakra left, but she should have enough to reduce the damage caused, covering the timer in a layer of rocks. "Everyone get back, it's going to blow!" She commanded of the onlookers, covering up the rock dome with her own body, believing her ninjutsu wouldn't be enough to muffle the blast.

"She knows the ninjutsu isn't that strong, she's trying to protect everyone at the cost of her own life." Itachi cast a glance at his cousin with that observation, the two exchanging a dark, knowing look. Their new teammate seemed like the reckless sort to throw away her life for a comrade- what a bitter taste that trait left in both of their mouths. That would prove to be troublesome for all of them, just as it had been with Toshiro. "We should stop her before she has a panic attack." An amused grin was on his lips as the three of them approached Asami at last, the smaller shinobi panting a little as she looked up at them with wild eyes.

"What are you guys doing? Get out of he-"

"Gotcha!" Shisui took the liberty of declaring, causing crimson eyes to blink at him in a look that resembled an owl.

"… What?"

"It was a test." Zenn held a hand out to help Asami back to her feet, a proud smirk in place on his lips. "To see how resourceful you can be. All members of my squad are required to pass, and you did." Though her technique wasn't perfect, she had a good base to build off of, and that was the important part.

Vermilion orbs blinked up at the three of them in silence for a moment. "A… a test?" Innocent eyes blinked before finding their way over to the man she'd just punched, watching as the woman he'd supposedly robbed of her child came over to check if he was alright. "… Are you kidding me?!" She cried suddenly snapping out of her shocked silence, throwing her hands up in the air with light fits of laughter bubbling past her lips. "Oh man, you guys really had me going. I was terrified!" She babbled on as she dispelled the ninjutsu tomb the fake baby was trapped in, scooping up the bundle from the ground and walking over to the supposed mother. "Here's your baby back, ma'am." She murmured with a cheeky grin on her lips.

Pride showed easily within the grin that turned next to her confused looking summon, pulling him into a hug in spite of how often he asked his mini mistress not to do so anymore. "Even though it was just a test, our strategy worked really well. Thanks, Osamu, I knew I could count on you to have my back." She nuzzled her cheek against the top of his head, a deadpan on the bird's face that could rival that of Fugaku Uchiha.

"Yes, my lady." His tone was one of clearly forced calm and respectfulness. "May I return home now?" And out of your evil hug of doom?

"Fine." The young girl's voice was a dramatic groan as she released her summon at last. "Thanks again for our help! See ya later." She waved sweetly as he returned the gesture with a small bow before vanishing.

She was a better sport about it that Toshiro had been at least. A firm hand clapped her on the shoulder, crimson eyes slipping up to look at her new teacher full of mirth. "Well done, Asami. You've completed your mission. Let's head back and celebrate this success with some dango."

XxXxXx

"Aniki, I'm home," Asami called softly as she shut and locked the door behind her, slipping off her sandals and her bag was placed on the ground next to them. She wandered into the kitchen where she could hear the man grunt in reply to her declaration.

She was beginning to lose faith in her brother ever going back to normal; it had been three years now since the attack that had taken away their parents. Tiny fists tightened at her sides at the thought of them. There was a time when he wouldn't even let her go near the door to leave without her hand in his, and now he couldn't seem to care less that she'd returned. Asami had learned from a young age just how drastically loss could change a person as she experienced firsthand her brother's descent into insanity.

That wasn't to say that she believed her brother didn't still care. He showed his affection in the little things he did that would escape most people's notice, though she'd become accustomed to picking up on them. Maybe the most important way she was able to tell her brother still cared was the avid interest he took in training her. Taisuke wanted her to be strong, cared enough about her that he couldn't stand the thought of losing her because of her own weakness.

Yes, that was right, she couldn't lose faith in her brother just yet. He was still in there, buried deep under grief and anger, but he was there.

There was dinner on the table, even a plate set up for her. The meal was cold and he was already finished with his, but this was a clear sign that he was making an effort. "You have a mission tomorrow, don't you?" She asked curiously as she dished up a plate of food to put in the microwave and heat up.

"Hn." He grunted once more with a curt nod, looking down at some papers probably pertaining to said mission as his baby sister took a seat across from him.

"Do your best, okay?" Her grin was soft and sweet, not seeming to mind much if at all that she didn't have the man's full attention.

"I always do." He murmured in reply, not a hint of gratitude for her concern over him to be seen. A moment of silence passed between the two as Asami sampled the chicken and rice her brother had made. "You got placed on your team today, didn't you?"

She still didn't seem to have his attention, but maybe it was for the best that he wasn't focused when she explained who her new team was. "Yeah, but I didn't get paired with anyone in my class. Another genin team recently lost a member and so the jonin in charge personally requested me to join- he says he knew mama." She paused in her recap of the day to take a small sip of water. "My new teammates are super strong, though. I'm going to have to work hard to keep up with them."

"How did you end up on a team with two shinobi that strong?" Taisuke countered in a disinterested tone though the words were meant to sting.

"I was the top kunoichi in my class, you know." A sad smirk rested on her lips though she didn't take the remark too personally. Aniki was just still healing, he needed more time.

"Who are the two unlucky fools who got stuck with you anyway?"

"It's funny you should ask, actually. " She kept her voice low, stealing another sip of water and hoping that this was one of those not-so-rare moments that he wasn't really listening. "My new partners are Shisui and Itachi Uchiha."

Fate was not on her side. Silence soon followed. He even put down the mission papers he was looking over. This was how she would die.

"You're on a team with two members from the Uchiha clan?" A mute nod answered him, hesitant crimson eyes meeting his own mirrored hues. "You're not planning on becoming friends with these brats, are you?"

"Well, why shouldn't I? I mean. If we're going to be going on missions together and all, I think it's just natural that I should-"

"Don't be an idiot, Asami." Taisuke's voice was cold as ice as he narrowed his eyes at the babbling girl across from him, causing her to freeze. "That cursed family is the reason mother and father are dead, you can't honestly tell me even you're stupid enough to want to be friends with them, can you?"

More silence as Asami sunk slightly under the eighteen-year-old's intimidating gaze. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, choosing against remarking to her big brother that these two weren't really that bad, and besides, they were both too young at the time to have saved mother and father, so why should they be blamed?

"Don't worry, Aniki." A slightly shaky grin returned to her lips at long last, deciding to be safe and tell her brother what he wanted to hear. "I don't intend to be friends with them. Strictly business."

Things were going to get a lot trickier from here on out, she surmised as imposing crimson orbs finally released her from their stare, attention back on his papers as she suddenly didn't feel all that much like eating.

 **A/N:** Hello lovely readers 3 I was originally hesitant to post this story because I didn't know how anyone would like it, but seeing all the wonderful reactions from chapter one, I've decided to carry one!

I intend to upload a new chapter every week, though life happens sometimes and frankly, trying to make sure I stay true to Itachi and Shisui's characters is more of a struggle than it probably should be.

Another little note about this story: it's... not really a love story? Staying true to canon is something very important to me in Asami's creation and Itachi's story doesn't exactly leave room for a traditional relationship. Things will get kind of dark, so if you're looking for a cute, fluffy, Itachi x OC love story, this isn't it.

... But I do ship them together, so there's a chance I'll post a series of random one-shots throughout this story to do something with my desire to make Itachi a cute fluffball. This story, though will be true to his character no matter how badly I want him to be adorable o.o

Thanks for reading so far! Next chapter should be up next weekend!


	3. Chapter 3

"Yes!" Two small fists pumped into the air as the four-man team crossed through the gates and back into the village. Asami looked like a mess, truthfully, but that grin made it clear that she hardly noticed at all. "Our first mission as a team was a success!" Her arms fell back to her sides as she straightened up some, walking past the guards at the gates with a dignified look on immature pale features, trying to look like the strong, confident shinobi she was going to grow to be. Crimson orbs sparkled with excitement at their recent completed mission, turning themselves to her teammates. "We should all go celebrate together. You'll buy us all some ramen, won't you, Zenn Sensei?"

The man was quick to turn his eyes away from that pleading look that he was attacked with, struggling not to fall victim to it. "I'm sorry, Asami, I've got to go report to Lord Hokage about our mission. I'm sure Shisui and Itachi would love to join you though, right boys?" Dark brown orbs flickered between the two Uchiha.

Before either could give a reply, their collective attention was captured by a small voice calling out, "Nii-san!" Asami's heart noticeably melted at the sight of a little boy with spiky black hair racing toward them, a few steps ahead of an older woman with gentle dark eyes. It was easy for her to surmise that this little boy had to be Sasuke, the older woman their mother.

"So cute." She breathed out as the child ran straight up to Itachi in spite of Shisui attempting to greet the mini Uchiha as well.

"He really wanted to come see you after your mission," Mikoto explained as she approached the small group, a warm smile directed toward Shisui before the sight of an unfamiliar face sparked interest and curiosity within her eyes. "Hello there, my name is Mikoto. You must be Itachi and Shisui's new partner."

A bit of a shy look entered the young girl's eyes, so unfamiliar with talking to new people since she usually tried to keep to herself. "Hello, Mikoto Sama, my name is Asami Sasaki." More Uchiha. She wasn't supposed to be friends with these people, but they seemed so nice to her. Why was her brother so adamant about keeping her away from them?

"It's wonderful to meet you, Asami." The matriarch ignored the hand Asami held out to shake with her own, gently pulling the smaller form into a hug that seemed to catch the child off guard.

After a moment of being too shocked to speak, Asami eagerly returned the hug, seeming relax with the affectionate action. "It's wonderful to me you as well, Mikoto Sama."

"Please, just call me Mikoto." The woman insisted, something about the way the chibi clung to her making her hold on just a little bit longer than normal before pulling away.

A murmur to the side caught Asami's attention, glancing over to see Shisui gently ushering the three-year-old over to greet her and she could hardly contain her excitement. She managed to keep from squealing, even when the child crossed his arms over his chest and declared in a voice as stern as he could manage, "You better take good care of my brother, ya know."

The matriarch looked ready to scold the boy and remind him to mind his manners but Asami chuckled quietly before the woman could do so, clearly not offended by the demand at all as she knelt down to be on Sasuke's level. "You know, you're brother is pretty amazing. He doesn't need me to look out for him; in fact; it'll probably be the other way around. I promise you, though, I'll watch after him as best as I can, okay? I've got a big brother, too, so I understand what it's like to want to make sure he's safe."

Without missing a beat. "My big brother is better than yours."

An irritated eyebrow twitch cracked the normally friendly composure at that declaration from the little twerp, unable to let that direct insult to her brother slide- even from a three-year-old. "Well, my big brother's in ANBU, you know. Yours is only a genin." She poked his cheek with a sly smirk.

"My brother can use the Sharingan, though," Sasuke countered stubbornly, making a face as he tried to get away from that probing finger.

Said poking turned into a pinch, pulling on the child's cheek until he swatted away her hand. "My big brother is the best swordsman ever." An exaggeration, naturally, but this was a child she was arguing with after all.

"Well, Aniki is even better than our father at shuriken jutsu."

"My brother practically raised me."

"I think that's enough you two," Shisui declared, placing a hand to both of their heads to ruffle their hair and silence their bickering no matter how amusing it was to watch Itachi trying not to get all flustered about the praise he was receiving from his baby brother. He knew this boy's words meant more than anyone's, truly. "Both of your brother's are incredible, there's no need to fight."

The older Uchiha earned himself two adorable little death glares at the ruffling before Asami's faded away to a soft smile, directing the sight back toward the pouting chibi. "You know, your brother is pretty great. You're a lucky kid."

Those words seemed to appease the little punk, a grin returning to childish lips as he glanced over at his brother. "He's the best. I'm super lucky." The chibi agreed at last before glancing up as his mother placed a gentle hand to the top of his head.

Mikoto really was very pretty, Asami mused faintly, kind of hoping that she looked pretty when she was that old, too. Just like her own mama had. God, she missed her mama…

The woman's dark eyes looked down at Sasuke first, then endearing orbs turned to Itachi. "Let's head home now, shall we? I've got dinner all set."

Asami could hardly help the slightest deflating of her shoulders as she stood up once more. Itachi gave a faint nod with his mother's words, easily giving in to the small hand that snuck within his own. "But, wait…" Her voice was a whispered mumble, the only one able to catch on to it being the older Uchiha male standing at her side still.

She looked disappointed, Shisui gathered rather easily, also quick to decide that such a sentiment didn't suit her very well. He rested a hand on her smaller shoulder, drawing her attention to the large grin on his lips though his eyes were fixed on his cousins. "You guys enjoy your dinner, Asami and I are going to get the best stir fry in Konoha to celebrate our mission without you." He stuck a childish tongue out at Itachi with a playful wink, earning a faint upturn of Itachi's lips.

Really, Shisui was one-of-a-kind.

"Enjoy." The Uchiha heir murmured, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.

And that was it. The instant Asami decided that smiling suited Itachi very well- far more than such a serious disposition he'd adopted to keep in line with the stern Uchiha stereotypes.

"Goodbye!" What a relief to see her smiling again as she waved to the departing Uchiha before turning pleading eyes to their sensei. "Are you sure you can't come with us?"

Zenn's affection for the young girl who looked so much like his former teammate easily slipped within the regretful smile that crossed his lips. "I'm sorry, but I really can't. Lord Hokage wants a report of this mission as soon as possible since it's the first one you've joined us on. You did splendidly, Asami." He ruffled her hair, the girl trying to pout without much success. "It didn't go exactly according to plan, but that's something that we need to be prepared for as shinobi. We'll work more on how to handle situations we can't predict tomorrow, alright? I'm very proud of all three of you."

"Thank you, Sensei." Humility flickered within Asami's gaze, a slight flush to her cheeks as she averted crimson eyes to the ground. With a gentle squeeze to the kunoichi's shoulder and a nod in goodbye aimed at Shisui, Zenn's chakra vanished. He might not have been that far just yet; sensing chakra wasn't something Asami was skilled at with her current level of experience.

A peaceful moment of silence passed between the two before Shisui started to walk, capturing the occasionally absent-minded girl's attention once more as she loyally shadowed his footsteps. "We should make Itachi really jealous he didn't come along and stop for dango after dinner." The grin on his lips was nothing short of conspiratorial as he led her along to his personal favorite place to get dinner.

"That's not very nice." In spite of her initial objection, though, an amused grin flickered across her features.

"Neither was ditching us for his little brother. How dare he!" An obvious teasing air was about the older Uchiha, causing Asami to snicker softly before blinking a little as her teammate slung an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer as they walked as if to tell her a secret. Eager eyes looking to him in a silent request as to what it was. "Since you're new to the team and all, I'm going to give you a special job, okay?" His grin held an obvious edge of mischief at the eager nod he got in reply from the younger shinobi, allowing the tension to build with a dramatic pause before declaring in a low tone, "You're going to be my new partner in crime."

A pause. Crimson eyes blinked up at the taller male before an excited smirk crossed her lips. "We're gonna pull lots of pranks on Itachi and Sensei, right?"

"Precisely." Naturally, they were going to cause lots of havoc for the other two members of the team, and he for one was happy to finally have a teammate willing to help him do so. With that all settled, he released her shoulders, a more respectable distance between them now.

The air about the two comrades was calm and carefree in spite of the slightly more serious persona each adopted when out on missions. They'd been together about a week now, the team having been given a small reprieve from assignments during that time in order to acquaint themselves with the new dynamic of the team before being thrust out into the field.

Still, Asami had yet to figure out exactly what it was about the Uchiha that made her brother detest them so much. Shisui and Itachi were patient, something she could hardly express how grateful she was for. As someone fresh out of the academy, she lacked in the same kind of experience her teammates had, resulting in a certain lack of confidence that didn't escape anyone's notice in spite of her attempts to hide such an unsightly attribute. Regardless, they encouraged her to do her best, another quality she was appreciative of.

Shouldn't Taisuke want her to have kind, supportive friends in spite of their last name?

"Shisui," the moment of silence is broken by her hesitant voice, glancing over at the older's curious expression out of the corners of her eyes. "I… don't think Itachi likes me all that much." Her admission was sheepish, an uncertainty both the Uchiha had become rather good at picking up on sparking within the slight frown that tugged her lips downward.

"That's not it, don't worry." The assurance was automatic. It truly was important that their newest member understood his cousin's increasingly odd tendencies. He'd hate for the current situation to cause a rift in their teamwork. "It's hard to explain, really. He'll warm up to you soon, it just takes a little longer for him to get comfortable around people, especially after what happened."

There was a small pause, the young woman hesitant to bring it up but in the end, she did anyway. "Do you mean what happened with your old teammate? I don't know how he… you know. No one will tell me. Was it really that bad?"

Shisui was hesitant, honestly. Not because talking about Toshiro hurt too badly to manage it, but he would almost rather not tell their new teammate of the tragedy that had befallen their former. One on hand, he didn't want to frighten her any more than she already needed to be in their world, but on the other, maybe if he told her, she wouldn't ever make the same mistakes.

"I'll make you a deal." Shisui declared after a moment's pause during which Asami patiently waited for a reply. "I'll tell you about what happened to Toshiro if you'll tell me about what happened to your parents first."

An almost indistinguishable pain flickered across the younger's features at the not so subtle reminder about her parents though she still gave a slight nod. "Yeah, that sounds pretty fair to me. Let me see…" Her lips pursed a little in thought- either that or she was buying a moment to build up the courage to broach such a sensitive topic. She exhaled a quiet sigh before a small nod signaled that she'd found a place to begin her tale.

"I don't remember much, to be honest; about that night- about them. Everything seemed to happen so suddenly, there was no time to process what was going on. My brother was out on a mission when the attack occurred. Once minute my parents were going about their daily activities- my mama was making dinner and papa reading the paper- then the next, they both looked out the window, at each other, then said they had to go. There was some trouble that they had to handle and I was to stay put in that house no matter what." Her eyes wouldn't meet his own, a far odd look within them as it was clear that she was seeing this all happen once again before her very eyes.

"I don't know exactly how much time passed by, but all of a sudden, everything started to shake and I heard people screaming. It was so scary, so I hid under the table with my stuffed lion until my parents or brother came back for me. I was so relieved when mama and papa finally did, but it didn't last too long. I tried to ask them what was going on, why there was so much chaos, but before I could get my answer, there was a huge crash and the roof collapsed. Papa used an earth style jutsu to protect me and mama from the debris, but he… couldn't save himself." Asami's teeth dug into her bottom lip a little, the beginnings of tears burning within her eyes at the memory. "I don't think I'd ever seen mama cry before. She tried to be tough when she picked me up. Maybe it didn't help that I kept screaming that we had to go back for papa."

The haunted expression that was rather vivid within crimson orbs when they slipped shut nearly compelled Shisui to tell her she could stop if she didn't want to finish that story, but if she was willing, he believed that it was important for them as a team to understand each other as much as possible. This event was one that made Asami who she was in the same way Toshiro's death had shaped who he and Itachi had become. He did place a hand to her shoulder, though, guiding her over to a set of steps in a more secluded part of the village that would lead them to the Hokage Mountain should they take them. He motioned for her to take a seat in a place in the shade of the mountains, Asami giving her teammate a grateful look before lowering herself to the place he offered.

She didn't get why people went around judging others based on their last name. Shisui wasn't anything like the stereotypes most branded the Uchiha with. He was kind and caring, maybe a tiny bit condescending at times, but when it came to her and Itachi, he almost had the right to be considering he had much more experience than either of them. "Your father must have cared about you and your mother a lot to protect the two of you like he did. He really was a hero."

"He was. I wanna be a hero just like him one day- like both of them." Asami declared with a determined nod before Shisui prompted her to go on with a quiet question of what happened next. "Mama carried me away from our house. Your family was trying to evacuate all the civilians, so when she ran into one of them, she gave me to him. I think he said his name was Inari or Inabi- something like that. I was hardly paying attention when he told me. He was muttering something about not wanting to babysit as he led me away from mama. She vanished to join the fight and that was the last time I ever saw her."

Shisui had been there just like she had, so some of the details that she included weren't exactly necessary, but he was hardly going to stop her regardless. "It took a while, but someone finally managed to help me find Taisuke. Apparently his team hadn't been too far, so they'd turned around as soon as they saw all the chaos. A different Uchiha helped me find him, but I don't remember who it was." She shook her head a little, wishing she could recall these two men who'd helped her more clearly so that she could thank them for helping to keep her safe. "We got to the shelter and aniki held me until I fell asleep. By the time we were allowed to leave again, the sun was coming up and things got a little crazy again. There were lots of parents looking for their children, but there were also lots of kids left behind. Aniki refused to accept that they were gone; I could tell he was really hurt. We tried to look for mama at the hospital, but the nurse said she wasn't there and we were forced to leave because of how crazy it was."

There was a slight falter to her speech, the young girl rubbing at her eyes a little bit as a shaky breath slipped past her lips. "When we tried to go back to our home, it was completely destroyed." She tried to swallow back the lump in her throat trying to choke up her words. "All of our things were gone, our parents were dead… We must have spent hours sifting through the rubble. We had nothing better to do. Aniki was exhausted, but he didn't want to stop. He was determined to find something, anything from our old lives. It was as if he needed this something to confirm within his mind that it was real. He managed to find my papa's prized katana- I guess whoever had taken away his body had left that where it was. We also found an old photo from the day I was born and a necklace that belonged to mama." As she spoke, Asami pulled the necklace out from under her shirt. It consisted of a simple silver chain and a purple, heart-shaped pendant. "I'm pretty sure papa gave it to her for some reason or another. I really miss them sometimes, but I try not to be sad since they're both wonderful heroes and that's no reason to cry. It just hurts not having them here."

A gentle gust of wind stirred some dust on the ground, a few leaves dancing among the mini tornado is created before all became settled once more. By the time it had, Shisui turned a sympathetic smile to the youngest member of their team. "It's okay to miss them, you know. It's even okay to be hurt because they're gone. But if you let that hurt keep you from moving forward, then you'll be making their brave sacrifices in vain." He reached over to gently take the pendant from her hand so that he could get a closer look at the object. "I believe that a person never really dies so long as we remember them and always strive to honor wishes. Do you know what your parents' dreams were?" Charcoal orbs moved from the purple heart to meet her with that question, his full attention back on her once more.

"I… They wanted to help a lot of people." Asami declared after a moment of thought. "Mama was a medic and papa was a really important part of Intel because he had Osamu. They did so much good for our village." Sadness tinged the smile that crossed her lips though an undeniable edge of determination was burning within her eyes. Her hands clenched themselves into fists, the serious look in her eyes still completely adorable just because it was Asami. "That's why… I really need to get strong. I've got important things in my life that I need to protect, things that I don't intend to be weak enough to die for. It's easy enough to swear to those I care for that I'll protect them with my life, but that means whoever gets left behind will be in an immense amount of pain. I… don't think that's how to protect someone. So that's why I'd like to become a powerful shinobi who can keep the ones I love safe without throwing myself on a blade for them being the only way to do that."

Was this the Will of Fire he'd heard Lord Hokage speak of? The strength to carry on not in spite of those they'd lost but rather move forward _for_ those they could never again have back? Either way, it was a relief to hear her say those words. He believed there would never be an end to all the self-sacrifice that ran rampant within their world; so long as people loved one another, they'd be willing to die for each other. Through her pain, though, Asami learned that allowing oneself to die isn't always the only way.

Shisui, for one, appreciated this new understanding he had for the younger member of their team. In order for them to fight side-by-side and grow together, it was important to understand what it was that drove them all forward to begin with.

"You're going to do lots of good for Konoha, you know. I can just tell." The older Uchiha ruffled her hair with a proud grin on his lips, rising from the steps they were sitting on. The hand that had previously been making a crow's nest of her hair removed itself, offering her a gentle hand to help her back up. "Let's go get dinner now."

"Hey wait, you said you'd tell me about-" She began to object, a quiet chuckle cutting her off and causing her to pout a little.

"I'll tell you once we sit down to eat. Don't worry, I don't go back on my word." He assured her honestly, pulling her back to her feet by the smaller hand that placed itself within his own, giving her hair a gentle pat before nodding for the younger to follow him once more.

He shared in his cousin's fears, if he was being honest. After losing Toshiro, it was only natural to be wary of new friends who might one day be taken away in the same maner he had been. It was a hesitance that would die away with time as Itachi- and himself for that matter- slowly came to understand that such losses were always going to be part of their world. They shouldn't let those fears keep them from ever caring about anyone again.

Healing would take time, though, and in the same way that he now had a new understanding of Asami, she needed to be made aware of just why it was that Itachi seemed so distant.

She needed to understand how Toshiro's death had been his fault and how the two of them didn't have such different goals. He refused to allow another to die on his watch.

 **A/N:** Sorry for taking a little longer than planned with this chapter, but here it is.

Special thanks to Aniki for looking over the chapters for me and constantly reminding me that transitions are important. I'd be able to buy Naruto if I had a dollar for every time he said that freaking word XD Oh, and if you'd like, I made a page for Asami- it's a role-play page that you're all more than welcome to like. You'll find it at /chibicherrychan

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Had the topic not been so sensitive, Asami would have been complaining about how long Shisui was so casually putting it off. It was always just one more thing. Let's get to the restaurant first, let's order first, let's eat first, and so on until they were out walking in the cool night's air. The younger raven had no real idea where they were going, but Shisui had promised to tell his story once they arrived, so she was trying her best to be patient.

'Trying' being the operative word there. The suspense was killing her a little.

The idle conversation trailed off as Asami came to realize where it was Shisui was leading her, silent steps slowing until they brought her to a stop at his side, the two standing before the Memorial Stone. "Being a little cliché with this, aren't you?" The younger quipped in a playful whisper, reaching forward to trace the tips of her fingers carefully over where her parents' names were etched into the smooth face. "Where's his name?"

His own fingers reached forward to place themselves upon a spot slightly lower and farther to the left than her own and Asami couldn't help but feel kind of odd at how silent her new teammate was being. Her smaller hand moved to wrap itself around his own, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." A small smile of understanding graced her lips as her actions drew his eyes to hers at last.

Shisui shook his head a little, returning the small smile to a rather pathetic degree. "A deal is a deal, ya know. And it's important for you to understand why Itachi and I may act a certain way toward you."

"Just take your time, okay? There's no rush." Well, her brother would be expecting her home around then, but this was more important by far. He would understand, she was sure of it.

The two young shinobi took a seat on the grass before the stone, basking for a moment in the sheer emotions that they could feel radiating while Shisui took a moment to gather his nerve. There were so many names on this stone, so many stories that Asami would personally love to take the time to sit and listen to all of them. Listening to Toshiro's story was a good start.

"When the three of us were first assigned to be on a team together," Shisui broke the silence that had settled over them at last, "I kind of hated him, to be honest. Or maybe, rather, I hated the prospect of being put on a team. Not so much because I couldn't play well with others, but just because I'd been on my own since I graduated, so I was more comfortable that way." Asami nodded a little in understanding at that, clearly giving away how intently she was listening to her new friend's words. "It took time, I saw the both of them as so far below me, to be honest. Plus, Toshiro was a total loud mouth." Previously soft features turned into a deadpan at the thought of his teammate's annoying habit to fill every second devoted to silence with insistent chatter. "Itachi had far more patience for him than I did. I think he just loved the sound of his own voice."

"I'll try not to be that talkative." Asami murmured with a sheepish smirk on her lips, honestly believing she had already talked far too much already.

The remark earned a small shake of Shisui's head, charcoal eyes turning to her with a gentle smile. "No, you talk as much as you'd like. Just be yourself- don't change for anyone, especially not me. I was arrogant when Toshiro first met me, that's why he got on my nerves. I like to think I'm a little more down to earth now- luckily for you." A playful wink drew a soft chuckle from the young girl before she became a little more serious as the Uchiha went on, "Anyway, the three of us started going on missions together and growing as a team. Before I even realized it, we'd become best friends, the three of us. I couldn't imagine being forced to go on another mission alone ever again. It was nice to know I had teammates at my back in case something went wrong. I think maybe… we all got a little too comfortable."

A small shiver from the younger ninja made Shisui pause in his speech, glancing around quickly as if looking for something. "Man, I don't have a jacket for you or anything." As if he would have magically found one?

Asami shook her head a little with a warm smile, pulling her knees up to her chest to wrap her arms around them. "I'll be perfectly fine, thank you. Now finish your story."

"No need to get impatient now." Shisui almost pouted, ruffling her hair into her face in retaliation. Once Asami had pushed the raven locks of hair out of her face, Shisui attempted to regain his composure and carry on with the story. "Alright, alright. Like I said, I think we all got a little too comfortable. Our mission success rate was extremely high, there was nothing we couldn't do. About three months ago, we had this assignment- simple recon mission near the border of Iwa. Sensei wanted to test us and see how well we did on our own, so we split up into two groups to make our way to the checkpoint."

The low chuckle that slipped past the older's lips was very clearly bitter. "The moron wanted to take a shortcut so we could beat Sensei there. Before we knew what was happening, we were smack dab in the middle of disputed territory." A delicate hand rose hesitantly to the older's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to remind her comrade that she was still there. "Apparently, the checkpoint we'd been on our way to was supposed to be relatively safe, but as soon as Iwa found out they would soon have two Uchiha perfectly within striking distance, it didn't take long before we were surrounded..."

 _Shisui could hardly help the way he stiffened as the three of them were back up against each other, able to clearly feel his younger cousin trembling at the situation at hand. He himself was suppressing the urge to do so, were he being honest, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat as he glanced around them. Three on three; these odds were hardly in their favor though they could always be worse. Still, it wasn't in their interest to simply give up- he and Itachi would likely lose their eyes and who knew what they would do with Toshiro considering he's not an Uchiha._

 _The elder Uchiha fancied thinking of their brunette haired teammate as a complete and utter masochist. After all, why else would he take the time to simply scoff at their current predicament? "Any bright ideas, Shisui?" Pale blue orbs flickered over his shoulder to the oldest member of their team before narrowing them at the encroaching enemies._

 _"Just one: no more taking orders from you." The older quipped without missing a beat. Onyx orbs allowed themselves to slip shut for a brief flicker of a moment, snapping open again with that dangerous flare of red and black that most sane people knew well enough to fear. Itachi had only recently acquired the Sharingan- as of yet, it only contained two tomes. It should still do them some good. They couldn't afford to pull any punches. "On my mark: Three."_

 _"Two," Toshiro took the liberty of carrying on as he slipped a kunai from its holster, legs spreading out slightly in preparation to attack._

 _"One," Itachi finished in a soft whisper, lunging into action barely a fraction of a second after the other two. This was their first B-rank mission, it was time they proved themselves capable of handling such responsibility rather than cowering when things got really bad. His father would give him the lecture of a lifetime had he been there to notice the faint quiver to his hand signs. His back arched slightly as he drew in a deep breath, assaulting the Iwa nin who dared approach him with a storm of fire, "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"_

 _Shisui rather easily found that he was going to have a difficult time trusting his teammates enough to focus on his own battle in spite of how absolutely necessary such a task was. He simply couldn't help it, feeling that slight tremor from his younger cousin earlier had sparked a fierce protectiveness he really only ever felt toward these two here. Focus, he reminded himself seriously as he smoothly slid out his tanto, parrying with a shower of sparks against the first foe close enough to clash with._

 _Naturally, his move was countered. They parried for a while, crimson tipped hues glowering at charcoal ones before the man used a kick to separate them, adding a jump to extend the distance as gloved fingers manipulated themselves into a jutsu sign._

 _"Doton: Earth Wall!" Jumping back was all Shisui could do to avoid the pseudo-grave though it struck him later that that was exactly what his opponent had wanted him to do. An explosive tag kunai soon found its mark next to his feet, the sound of metal piercing soft earth the only warning before an explosion resounded in the entire area._

 _"Shisui!" Toshiro was the first one to move, knocking his opponent to the side with a swift kick in the solar plexus. His opponent wavered though gladly took the distraction to pull the katana from the sheath strapped to his back though Toshiro barely took notice, going instead to where Shisui had been._

 _Which worked in his favor. No sooner had Toshiro disappeared in the resounding plume of smoke did he turn towards the Uchiha who had just caught his teammate in a genjutsu. Itachi had the woman well in eye contact, too focused on her to notice the older shinobi raise the sword behind him. Not to get the Iwa nin wrong, he wasn't going to kill either of these children, but he would incapacitate them. The Uchiha would be useful, if not for potential negotiations, then their kekkei genkai for certain. Toshiro would be useful too though more as a bargaining chip than an actual prisoner – it was quite insidious, but let it be known that a shinobi was nothing if not crafty._

 _Ironically, the boy in question was reputedly anything but. Unbeknownst to Toshiro, Shisui had already performed a shushin the moment the kunai had exploded, reappearing next to his cousin just in time to counter the swing of the katana. Slightly startled, Itachi caught Shisui's gaze out of the corner of one eye before the latter nodded and Itachi shifted in a blue blur, kunai slipping into his fingers from where it had been strapped to his bicep. Twirling the kunai so that he was holding onto the sharp end, he caught Shisui's opponent under the chin with the handle with enough force to have him staggering backward. Itachi followed him in suit, slipping behind him before knocking the man out with the same kunai._

 _Shisui, who had assumed a defensive position just in case, finally allowed a smile to surface. They could do this. They had the battle almost completely won anyway. Sharingan fading into the recesses of dull black, the Uchiha looked at where Toshiro was supposed to be, "Oi, don't tell me you thought I fell for that one" He called out to his teammate who was looking none too tousled._

 _If Shisui hadn't known him any better, he'd say he was pouting. "Shut up, I wasn't worried! I was just…cautious!" He yelled back though sporting a grin despite his obvious worrying. They were a team after all, and though Shisui had some experience the other two did not so it was only natural to get a little worried, right? He wouldn't lie; he had been a bit worried too. Shisui didn't fancy losing his team._

 _"Though I would have liked it if you had warned me_ before _I dove in there" The mumble snapped him out of his reverie as Toshiro walked back to his side, dusting off one of his sleeves, "Hey…are we missing something?"_

 _"I don't think so" Shisui replied just as Itachi joined them. He had a small cut on his face which Shisui was quick to notice—_

 _And consequently make fun of, "Ha ha, you got nicked" he grinned as Toshiro looked around, a worried expression apparent on his features._

 _"…Your sense of humor eludes me as always" Itachi replied with a slight deadpan, conveniently forgetting how worried he had been about the impending battle himself. Shisui stuck out his tongue in response before charcoal eyes noticed Toshiro's worried expression._

 _Nani? "Say Toshi, why are you so worried?" He couldn't help but ask as he raised a finger to poke his teammate's head. The boy didn't reply and Shisui couldn't help but feel an impending feeling of dread blossoming in his stomach._

 _They had had three opponents…that one woman, the man with the katana and the ringleader Shisui had be-_

 _Oh no. Dark orbs had barely widened before Toshiro pushed his shoulder, "Move!" He yelled, adding chakra to the shove which threw Shisui and Itachi to the side a few steps away. Both of them stumbled, losing their footing against the rough ground. Itachi managed to regain his composure before he did, though when Shisui finally managed to get back on his feet, he quite as well wished he hadn't._

Shisui suddenly stopped talking as the thought of the sight their teammate had made, pale finger clenching into a fist as he swallowed. Charcoal hues slipped shut and he shifted a little, Asami gently resting a hand to his arm is if to simply remind her that she was there though she didn't utter a single word.

Really, what could she say anyway? Shisui had lost a dear friend he had trained with for so long. It was similar to the way she'd lost her father, so in that way, she felt like she could understand her new comrade very well, even if she couldn't admit it out loud in that instant. That moment wasn't about her, it was about Shisui, and she'd be making a huge mistake to attempt to add her own two sense and make it any other way.

The younger ninja was about to open her mouth and tell him that he could just stop there if he wanted to, but just as she was about to, he went on again.

 _It had taken as long as a heartbeat. Pale blue met aghast charcoal, though not in a manner which he would have liked. A trail of blood dripped down their young teammate's face as a jagged piece of chakra infused rock had frozen his head in place, obscuring half of the boy's face in a myriad of blossoming reds and purples with eyes staring right at him. He felt Itachi stiffen next to him though neither uttered a sound._

 _It looked like the ground had reared up and turned into a canine head, earthly jaws coming to crush the poor Genin's form like a mangled piece of flesh._

 _Hadn't he been smiling a moment ago? Swallowing against the growing lump in his throat, Shisui tried to move his fingers, a voice in his head reminding him of the fact that there was still an opponent left that could potentially kill them just like he had Toshiro and that death wasn't exactly new to the Uchiha to begin with but…_

 _But…_

"It's… terrifying, don't you think? How everything can change in the blink of an eye completely out of our control." Shisui's voice was nearly a whisper, one Asami had to strain herself slightly to be able to hear.

Yes, that was a fear Asami could relate well to seeing how suddenly her parents had been torn from her grasp and even how quickly her brother had changed since the incident. She swallowed a little herself, giving a silent nod in reply since she had not the words to say at the moment. Though, perhaps… "In books and stories… it's not like our world." She began just as softly as he'd spoken. "Sometimes… we don't always get a chance to say goodbye to those we need to the most."

She would have given anything to tell her parents she loved them one last time, and while she didn't want to speak for him, she could imagine her comrade felt the same.

A quiet hum acknowledged her contribution to that conversation before another silence passed over the duo, both of their eyes focused on the looming memorial stone. Asami was hesitant to break it, but she couldn't help but ask softly, "Did Zenn Sensei save you both after that?"

"He did," the older let out a quiet sigh, his eyes slipping shut once more as he rested a hand on top of the one that had yet to move from his arm. It was sweet how she was trying to comfort him even though they both knew that wasn't possible. "Itachi and I were both frozen. The final attacker took his sweet time stepping closer like he was savoring that moment; it was sick… Itachi moved before I did, I remember seeing him move in front of me. His hands were shaking, but it wasn't like before. He was having as hard a time as I was keeping our eyes off of Toshiro. Before the bastard could attack, Zenn Sensei arrived and took him out before I could even notice. My… my eyes changed that day."

"Your eyes?" Asami echoed hesitantly, looking closer into the charcoal hues as if looking for the change there.

"My Sharingan." Shisui corrected, allowing said dojutsu to active so he could show their younger teammate. While he was perfectly content keeping that newly awakened power under wraps until he found out exactly what to do with it, it was probably important for her to be aware. "I'm still trying to figure out how to use it."

The light of the pale moon reflected easily off of the young man's eyes before he allowed the crimson to give way to typical onyx which were certainly not to be underestimated either.

"That's so cool," Asami couldn't help but whisper. And it was cool, she wasn't wrong. "It's like the Sharingan but… not. Does Itachi have Sharingan like that, too?"

"I hope he never does," Shisui's reply was slightly clipped, so sudden and cold that it caused Asami to stiffen. He expelled a breath, backtracking a little. While he was sure the clan would have his head should any of them hear him telling her this, he felt she could be trusted. "It's called the Mongekyou Sharingan. It can only be awakened when someone witnessed the death of someone incredibly close to him. I hope Itachi never has to know that pain." A small pause flitted past before he went on, "Don't tell anyone about this, okay? I… could get in big trouble for telling you."

She didn't really need an explanation as to why she shouldn't tell anyone though hearing his reasoning simply strengthened her resolve. "I won't say a word. I swear it."

"Good." He nodded, rather easily seeming satisfied with her answer. "Now let's get you home, your brother must be getting worried." The older rose from the ground smoothly, pulling her back to her feet as well by the hand that had been so dutifully reminding him that he wasn't alone. "I'll walk you there, of course, perhaps apologize for keeping you out so la-"

"That's not necessary," Asami shook her head almost before Shisui had finished his declaration, trying to backtrack a little at the puzzled look she got in return. "I mean, he's got a big mission tomorrow, so he's probably asleep. I'll apologize on your behalf tomorrow morning if you'd like."

That seemed to satisfy the older male a little more as he nodded once before motioning her on ahead of him. "Lead the way then. I'll still walk you there."

The young girl had honestly always been horrible at lying, so she was a little shocked that had worked. She could only hope her next lie went over just as well. It was for the best that Itachi and Shisui didn't know where she loved- she'd been up most of the night planning for that exact moment in fact. It would cause trouble of they happen to knock on her door and Taisuke answered, even more so if she wasn't around to stop him from being… himself. So when they did arrive at her street, she took to wandering up to an apartment complex beside the one she actually lived in, bidding her teammate goodnight at the door so he wouldn't follow her far enough to see that she actually had no home there.

That charade would only carry on as long as it took her brother to get back to normal once again. As soon as she could safely introduce him to her teammates, she would do so. Once he could see the world clearly once more, he would see that they were both really great people who she hoped to be able to grow really strong alongside.

There was no dinner, just a cup of instant ramen waiting on the table for her. And another subtle reminder as to why she couldn't give up on her brother just yet.

 **AN:** This took kind of forever. I apologize for that. A big, huge thank you to my aniki for helping out with this and writing up nearly all of the fight scene that took place. It's far from my specialty, but I truly appreciate the help! This chapter couldn't have happened otherwise.


End file.
